Looking Through Glass
by xxkoffeexx
Summary: Upon discovering a new hobby she saw a new side of him. [TomoxKai]


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**Looking Through Glass**

**By** _xxkoffeexx_

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**Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis.**

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My hobby developed after Echizen Ryoma left for America. We were only in seventh grade but I thought I could feel that pain of losing my first love. As if I knew anything about love. 

I was sad, but after seeing how depressed my best friend became I knew then and there that my so-called love had not come half as close as hers. After that I got over it and back on track.

I comforted Sakuno as a good best friend should. She was a smart girl, for all her shortcomings (_never again_ would I suggest dancing as a catharsis) and in no time she was acting like her usual, sweet, charming, clumsy self.

I would be lying if I said that I went to the tennis courts just to support the Seigaku boy's team. I would be running around with my pants on fire if I said I came to the courts just to see a certain hat-wearing boy smash his opponents. I only screamed his name because he was good-looking, had an attitude, and above all, looked cool swinging that racquet around. And in fact, that was the reason.

People who played tennis were just that awesome.

So I found myself at the tennis courts more often than when Ryoma was there. Sakuno, too, after she got over the pain of (real) first love, was by my side whenever she could. She'd practiced hard and was a decent tennis player in her own right.

_Change. It's time for change, Tomo._

It was around that time I had decided to clean out my closet and found my mom's old professional camera sitting in an old box of photographs from her school years. She must have placed it there recently because we always shared my closet and I hadn't seen it before.

Curious, I stopped what I was doing and examined the camera. It was one of those old ones that immediately spit out the picture after it was taken. I always liked taking pictures, but was never serious about it until I held that dusty old camera in my hands. I had an epiphany; I realized I had to start taking pictures.

That was when my mom came in and, taking one look at me holding her old camera whilst sitting in the middle of dusty bags and books, immediately joined me, chatting about how that camera had been her partner in life (before my dad). She had been in the photography club and was the president. She told me all about her adventures as a high schooler and taking pictures, even meeting my dad through her photography. By the time it was dinner I had been so inspired by her stories that I decided to use her very same camera to guide me through life.

The next day I went to school with the camera hanging proudly around my neck and signed up for the photography club. And found to my disappointment that Seigaku didn't have a photography club.

I was ready to give up my dreams of becoming a photographer, but then Fuji came and made a deal with me. He asked if I would help him start a photography club in high school. I agreed, and three years later we were the founders of the first photography club in twenty years.

But before that I had to meet a certain person through the lens of my camera.

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During the last two years of Seigaku I busied myself with taking pictures whenever and wherever I could. As I got used to clicking away at opportune moments, I began to challenge the structures of the school. I became bolder and much more outspoken. I already had a big mouth, but, as Sakuno said, I couldn't help speaking my opinion. 

For some reason the school newspaper loved my pictures and asked if I would become their photographer. It wasn't the club I had in mind, but I agreed. Pictures were pictures, and I thought I needed all the experience I could get.

This didn't turn out to be the case when I was assigned to take pictures of the boy's tennis team. I was familiar with the captain, Momo-senpai, and the vice-captain, Kaoru Kaidoh, but with conflicting schedules we never really got to speak to each other until then.

I remember I was nervous when I first approached the Dunk Smash player (he was barking out laps in a manner that would have made Tezuka proud) and nearly dropped the camera when a hissing Kaidoh appeared behind me.

"Take as many pictures as you want," the captain said airily. The vice merely scowled.

I took him for his word and flashed my camera at the new regulars, taking great amusement in distracting them right before they served. They became wary of me every time I appeared by the fence, and I had become an infamous presence.

"Osakada." It was a familiar low voice, just as I was taking a great shot of a supposedly genius freshman. I turned and flashed the camera, catching a surprised Kaidoh.

"Yes?"

"Stop taking pictures," he said. "It's distracting them—" _Flash._ He held out a hand before I could take another shot of him. "What are you doing?"

I gave him an innocent look. "Taking pictures for the school newspaper, Kaidoh-senpai." His scowl was less than amused.

"Don't you have enough?"

"Nope." I smiled sweetly, took another picture of him before he could protest, and sauntered away to blind other unsuspecting players.

It started with just random pictures, like when he ran laps or told me to stop. And then it became a game. I would annoy him best by taking pictures of him, not just on the tennis courts, but everywhere, in the hallways, during lunch, walking home—everywhere but the bathroom. He would tell me to stop stalking him, and in response I would click away with the camera.

Once he asked me what I did with all those pictures I took of him. I had been giving his tennis pictures to the newspaper and the annual committee, and secretly kept all the everyday random pictures in my drawer. Of course, I didn't tell him that. When I casually said that they didn't develop, I was aware that not only was I blatantly lying, but my feelings for him were unlike my feelings for Momo-senpai, or any of my other guy friends, or even Ryoma.

I went home and opened that drawer of his pictures. Not only did I feel like a stalker (_was_ I?) but—I was afraid. I never liked anyone so much in my life and I was scared of what I might do. What would I say if these feelings overflowed until there was nothing holding them back, spilling over...?

I closed the drawer and didn't open it again for a long time.

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I still remember the conversation I had with him. It stuck to me like super glue and reminded me why I'd joined the club in the first place. 

-.-.-

"Osakada?" I turned to see Fuji and blinked. He motioned to the seat in front of me. "May I?"

Going back to my depressive state, I nodded, and he sat down. Any other time I would have been thrilled that THE Fuji Syuusuke was sitting with me. Now I wondered why he was here.

"That's a very good camera."

I glanced at it. "Yeah." There was a sigh in my voice that he probably had no trouble detecting.

"Can I take a look at it?"

I finally looked at him and saw blue eyes smiling genuinely at me. "...Sure." As I gave him the camera I vaguely remembered hearing about the genius' hobby and his talent in photography. "Senpai, why is there no photography club in Seigaku?"

He didn't pause as he examined the camera. "There aren't enough people who would join. Apparently, the administration won't allow a club with only ten people."

I was outraged, but paused at his calm voice. "Fuji-senpai, did you want to start a photography club?"

At this he looked up, smiling. "You mean _do_ I want to start a photography club?" I stumbled for a response and he chuckled.

I protested, "But that's not fair. Just because there aren't enough people..."

"I was upset too. I believed a club didn't need a minimum number of members to be considered a real club. It isn't like tennis club where you need a certain number of players." His logic made sense and I wondered why he didn't storm into the office and feed the higher-ups the same common sense. "As long as you have the passion—whether you _like_ what you do or not—then it doesn't matter how many people there are. If you don't have the heart for it, then it's worthless and a waste of time."

I was impressed, not only by his words, but because he was able to voice exactly what I'd been feeling deep down inside. I felt like we understood one another, and it was this feeling of kinship that made me agree with him.

"When I start a photography club, will you join me, Osakada?"

I smiled.

-.-.-

"Tomo-chan!" I blinked out of my memories and realized I was blocking the stairs. Irritated people looked at me, wondering what the holdup was. I hastily moved out of the way, sitting next to Sakuno, who was sitting with her grandmother.

"Sorry, Sakuno," I smiled apologetically.

"That's okay. But what was wrong? You just stood there like you forgot something."

I didn't tell her that I'd caught sight of a certain dark-haired senpai, wearing something besides a bandana, and looking more like a man in his graduation robes. And that my chest suddenly jumped, like I was about to go down a roller coaster.

"No, I didn't forget anything," I assured her.

I had remembered.

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Maybe there was an unconscious reason why I took pictures. I mean, of course I loved taking pictures. But as I thought more about what Fuji said, I became aware that my passion was linked to something else. I couldn't place my finger on it. So I asked my mom. 

We were gardening outside since my dad was too busy with work to deal with his beloved garden. He had been in gardening club, my mom explained as I viciously pulled out weeds. He was one of a kind, she said with a fond expression. And then she turned to me. "As for your infatuation with that viper boy, I understand perfectly."

I turned red. "I'm not _infatuated_ with him!" She waved a gloved hand.

"I went through the same thing when I was in high school. I thought the gardening club was boring, a sissy hobby. Of course, I thought your father was a nerd."

Despite myself, I laughed.

"It's true!" She was smiling. "I went and took some pictures of him for the newspaper—I wanted pictures of the plants. But as I glanced at him... I found myself _looking_ at him in a totally different light. He was totally serious in what he did—taking care of those plants. I was dazed, I guess, by how much passion he had." She shrugged. "I admired him for it."

I was blushing but vaguely curious. "What happened? How did you guys get together?"

"Well, we had you..."

"What?" She began to laugh. "Mom!"

"One day, we were out in the garden after school, and I decided to kiss him. I really wanted to, not as a joke or a test. It turned out he liked me as well and didn't even dream that someone like me would fall for him. Well, we did some more kissing after that. And then things just went from there."

It was all very touching and kind of gross at the same time. My parent's love life was interesting but that's as far as I would care to know.

"Tomoka? It's different when you look at someone through the camera, right?" I nodded. "When you take a picture, you have to notice every single detail, take in everything as it is. You start focusing on that person, and you can see their likes, dislikes, how often they smile, if they're patient or not. You _see_ what kind of person they really are." She gave me the plant, and I took it. "He must be a very good person."

"...He is."

Later I went to my room and opened the drawer I swore I wouldn't open again. And as I looked at those pictures, I realized I knew what my mom was talking about. In every picture I could see him—not just his annoyed expressions, but _him_. His irritation when I snuck yet another picture of him on his way to the courts. His look of surprise when I caught him walking home. His surprisingly gentle expression when he held a stray kitten and then his look of horror when I confronted him. His scowls, his serious faces, his smirks, his smiles... I could see them all and more.

I'd found my passion.

* * *

A snapshot of his last day at Seigaku. 

It was after the last day of school and I was waiting to ambush him behind the gates as usual so I could take another picture. This time, however, he didn't react as he usually did. He didn't even look at me as he passed by. I knew there was something wrong.

"Kaidoh-senpai?" I caught up with him. Then I saw the look on his face. "What's wrong? Don't tell me you're sad that today was your last day here," I said teasingly.

"I am."

I blinked, for once shocked. "Oh," I said, not knowing how to reply. And then my mouth had to go and say, "Me too." Before he could ask I hurriedly explained, "I mean, you're the last one left on the original tennis team. You know, when Tezuka-buchou was here. I guess I'll miss you guys. You and Momo-senpai."

He was silent. Unable to stand the awkwardness I tried to take another picture of him, but he stopped me.

His hand wrapped around my wrist and held the camera down. "Why do you do this?"

"Do you not like when I take pictures?" I spoke calmly even though we had stopped walking and he was looking at me. "I'm sorry," I suddenly said. "I've been bothering you, haven't I? Don't worry, after you go to high school I won't bother you anymore." I didn't look at his eyes as I said this.

His hold tightened briefly before letting me go. "It's not that." I blinked and almost didn't hear his mutter. "We'll be in the same school the year after."

I blinked. "You're right."

I can still remember that slight smile on his face. "Today won't be the last day you bother me."

And I smiled back.

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-.-.- 

**A/N: Ahaha! I really doubt this made any sense. I don't even think Tomoka is a camera-type of person. And it's serious. Just a little. Maybe not. But definitely not as light as the other ones. (looks away) I've been gaining some weight... in my head. Eheh. (awkward...)**

**I'm sure you have some idea of what I'm trying to say. If you don't, that's completely fine.**

**--_Thank you_ very much!**


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